Display counter



Sept. 20, 1932. w. N. VANCE DISPLAY cotmmn Filed June 20. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet ZZZ/672232 Sept. 20, 1932. w. N. VANCE DISPLAY coumm Filed June 20. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 HWM /f:

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DISPLAY COUNTER Filed June 20. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 WalifJ/Mzace, 29 W @ozW/YZapw Sept. 20, 1932. w, VANCE 1,878,072

DISPLAY COUNTER Filed June .20. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE WALTER N. VANCE, OF NORTH AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LYON METAL PROD- 'U'CTS, INCORPORATED, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A- CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS DISPLAY COUNTER Application filed. June 20, 1929. Serial No. 372,804.

This invention relates to display counters in general and particularly to display counters which are made of metal.

The object of the invention is to provide a display counter which is made upin sections so that a plurality of sections may be connected together to provide a counter of any length desired.

Another object is to provide a counter havm ing removable shelves, a removable cross partition, and a removable glass front.

A further object is to provide a display counter which comprises a completely assembled section and which is adapted to have exact duplicate sections connected thereto.

A still further object is to provide aremovable front having a glass panel for display counters which is strong and rigid, which can be easily and quickly taken apart so that am another or difierent kind of panel may be sub stituted therein and which is securely locked in position.

Another object is to provide a locking device for displaying counters for detachably securing a removable glass front in position thereon and which is operated from the rear side of the counter.

Further objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The invention comprises in general a counter having vertical uprights to which sides and a top are fastened. The uprights are provided with a vertical row of slots to receive cross bearers for supporting shelves. A cross partition is arranged inside of the counter so that one part of the counter may be used for display purposes and the balance of the counter rearward of the partition is used for storing articles. A glass front has interlocking engagement with the front of the display counter and a locking bar which is operated from the rearward side of the counter holds the glass front in position. Sliding disappearing handles are fastened to the glass front for assisting in removing the front.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

3 is an enlarged detail sectional view.

Fig. 4 is a detail plan sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation showing the upper part of the chase or front.

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation showing the lower part of the chase or front.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the upper part of the side rails of the chase.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view showing the disappearing chase handles.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of an inside corner of the chase showing the reinforcing gusset.

Referrin to the drawings, 11 designates a plurality o' uprights or supports which are provided with slots .or recesses 12. Sides 13 having a plurality of vertical rows of holes 14 are fastened to the uprights, and cross bearers 15 are received in the slots 12 in the uprights. A top 17 has a downwardly extending flange 18 which is provided with an inturned lip 19, and fits over the sides, uprights, and top cross bearers.

A dividing panel or partition 21 extends longitudinally of the counter to provide a front compartment for displaying articles, and a rear compartment for storing articles. This partition is provided with flanges on all sides thereof, which has a plurality of holes 23 which are spaced the same as the holes 14 in the sides. Fastening means 24: pass through the alined holes 14 and 23 and $5 securely maintain the panel 21 in rigid position.

Shelves 25 are arranged in the rear or storage compartment, and shelves 26 are arranged in the front or display compartment. These shelves have front and rear downturned flanges 27 which are provided with inturned lips 28 and downturned side flanges 29. The shelf 25 is supported on its rear end and the shelf 26 is supported on its front end by means of a bolt or rivet 31 which passes through alined holes in the side flanges and the holes 14 in the sides. The rear edge of the shelf 25 may also be supported by one of the cross bearers 15, as clearly shown in 100 Fig. 2. The inner ends of the shelves 25 and 26 abut the cross )anel 21 and bolts 32 connect each of these s elves t5 longitudinal brackets 33, Fig. 2.

The bottom shelf 26 which assists in forming the bottom of the counter is substantially the same as the intermediate shelves 26 but is made a little longer to accommodate the base panel 16. A plate 34, Fig. 3, is fastened to the bottom shelf 26 and has an upturned leg 35 which acts as a stop for a removable front 36.

The front 36 has an inturned leg 37 and has its top edge bent over to form a bead 38. The top member 39 of the front 36 is arranged between the side rails of the front and has upper and lower inturned edges 41. The side and bottom members of the front 36 are mitred and a gusset 42, Fig. 9, is s ot welded .n the corners thereof for rigid y holding these members together. The top member 39 of the front 36 fits between the side members, Fig. 5, and also has a gusset 42 spot welded across the corners thereof.

A plate 43, Fig. 3, is spot welded to the flanges 37 at the lower end of the front and has a circular opening 44 therein, which merges with a triangular cut-out portion 45 to provide means for receiving the upturned leg 35 on the plate 34.

The flanges 37 of the side members of the front have a slot or notch 46 provided at the top thereof to receive one of the top bearers 15, and the inner corner 47 of this slot is beveled at 47, Fig. 7, to, facilitate in seating the rail in the slot 46. A locking angle or support 48 is spot welded to the flange 37 on the side member at the top thereof and inwardly or rearwardly of the slot 46. A locking bar 49 is operatively supported in clips 51 which are fastened to the top 17 of the counter. This locking bar has a locking end 52 which contacts with the top of the angle 48 at the front of the counter and with an operating handle 53 which is arrangedat the rear end of the counter, Figs. 2 and 3.

A disappearing handle 54, Fig. 8, is provided with a longitudinal slot 55 which re-- ceives an upstanding pin 56 and has an outer turned end 57. This handle extends through a slot 58 cut in the front face of the front 36.

A lass panel 59 is arranged within the legs 3% of the front and engages the inturned beads 38 of the bottom and side members and the lower head 41 of the top member 39, Figs. 3 and 4. Inside holding members 61 have a leg 62 which bears against the inside front edges of the front, and has an inturned leg 63 forming a glass receiving bead. Filler blocks 64 are arranged between the inner and outer bars of the front and bolts 65 pass through the inner and outer members, Fig.

4, to completely assemble the front and hold the parts rigidly together. The filler block permits the beads 38, 41, and 63 to resiliently hold the glass 59 in place and at the same time takes up undue strain caused by overtightening of the bolts 65. I

To insert the front 36 in position the looking bar is operated until its end'52 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7. The upper end of the front is then positioned so that an upper bearer 15 will be received in the slot 46 in the side members of the front, Fig. 2, and behind the upper turned end 41, Fig. 3. As the lower end of the front is pushed inwardly it is raised upwardly .as the slot 46 is and the front will then be permitted to drop down and lock the leg 35 in the merged 0 ening and slots 44 and 45, Fig. 3. The 100 ing bar 49 is then operated so that the end 52 will engage the top of the locking angle 48,

as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and in broken lines-in Fig. 7.

The invention provides a counter which can be quickly assembled or knocked down,

which has movable shelves, movable cross partitions, and a removable front. The shelves can be mounted in any position desired by means of the alined holes in the side flangesand the holes 14 in the sides. The slots 12 also permit the cross bearers to be set at any height desired. The cross partition may be moved closer to the front than is shown in Fig. 2 by having the holes 23 in the flange cooperating with the first row of holes 14 in the sides, and thereby provide a relatively shallow display compartment and a relatively deep storage compartment. Or, the panel may be shifted to the right, Fig. 2, to provide a shallower rear compartment and a deeper display compartment. Where a plurality of the sections are to be connected together, the side panels at the connection maybe dispensed with. The front 36 can be readily taken apart by removing the bolts 65 and a mirror or other kind of panel can be substituted for the glass 59. The counter is rigid, durable, and can be readily and economically manufactured.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A display counter com rising sides, a removable top, and a removable front, and a pivotally mounted locking bar operatively arranged under said top and supported thereby for locking said front in position.

2. A display counter comprising uprights, sides fastened to the uprights, cross bearers connecting the upri hts, a bottom, a removable front, a remova le vertical artition arranged in said counter, means or fastening said partition to said sides, shelves removably supported on each side of the partition in any 1 said sides, said partition adapted to be shifted to a plurality of positions inside of the counter, means for supporting the partition in any one of a plurality of positions, removable shelves arranged on each side of sa d to said sides, and a means operable at the .rear .of the counter and engaging the front for preventing slidable movement or removal of the front.

4. A counter comprising a plurality of uprights having slots therein, cross bearers engageable with said slots, sides having a plu rality of vertically alined holes therein, a cross partition'having holes therein, means alined holes in the sides and in the holes in supported in different positions, shelf bearers supported by the uprights, removable shelves for said counter and arranged on each side of the partition, a removably positioned front having locking engagement with the front of said counter, a removable top for said counter, and a locking bar mounted on said top for holding said front in locked position.

5. A counter comprising a 'slidable removable front, sides, and a removable top, and a single locking means mounted on said top and operated from the rear of the counter for holding said front in locked-position.

6. A display counter comprising a front, said front having a front surface, in-turned legs or flanges integral with said front surface, said front surface having slots provided therein inwardly of said legs or flanges, handles arranged in said slots and engaging the legs or flanges, said handles having slots therein, and pins on said legs or flanges and .extending through said handle slots to limit the movement of said handles through said first-named slots.

7. A display counter comprising a plu-- partition and fastened to said partition andpassing through some of said vertically panel carried by said front, a locking bar ex tending transversely of said counter below the top, a locking end on said bar and engageable with a part of said front, and an operating handle on the opposite end of said locking bar and operated from the rear end of said counter.

8. A counter comprising uprights, sides connected to said uprights, cross rails removably connected to said uprights, a front hav ing interlockingengagement with said counter at the front thereof, a panel mounted in said front, a removable partition arranged between the front andback of said counter, shelves removably arranged in said counter on each side of said partition, a removable top for said counter, a locking bar operatively supported by said top, a locking end on said bar engageable with said front forwardly of said partition, and an operating handle on the other end of said bar rear-' wardly of said partition.

9. A display counter having a plurality of uprights, cross bearers connecting said uprights, a front for said counter, a plate having a notch therein fastened to said front,

and a leg extending upwardly from the bot- ,tom of said counter and engaging said notch.

10. A display counter having a plurality of uprights provided with slots therein, cross bearers connecting said uprights, a top supported by some of said bearers, a front for said counter, said front having a notch at its upper side engageable with one of the cross bearers which support the top and permitting restricted vertical movement of said front, a keeper at the front of said counter and carried by said front, locking means carried by the top and engageable with the keeper, said locking means being 0 erated from the rear of the counter, other earers engaging the slots in the uprights, and shelves carried by said other bearers.

11. A display counter having a plurality of uprights, cross bearers connecting said uprights, a front for said counter, a plate having a notch therein fastened to said front, a leg extending upwardly from the bottom of said counter and engaging said notch, said front having a notch at its upper side engageable with one of said cross bearers and permitting restricted vertical movement of said front, a locking angle fastened to-said front, and locking means engageable with said locking angle.

12. A display counter having a plurality of uprights, cross bearers connecting said uprights, a front for said counter and comprising a front frame having inturned beads, a rear frame having inturned heads, a panel arranged between said beads, fastening means extending through said frames for holding said panel in place, a plate having a notch therein fastened to said front, and a leg extending upwardly from the bottom of said counter and engaging said notch.

13. A display counter having a plurality 'of uprights, cross bearers connecting said" uprights, a front for said counter and com- 5. prising a front frame havinginturned beads, a rear frame having inturned beads, a glass panel arranged between said beads, fastening means extending through said frames for holding said panel in place, said front having a notch at its upper side engageable with one of said cross bearers'and permitting restricted vertical movement of said front, a keeper fastened to said front, and locking means engageable with said kee er.

35 14. A display counter aving a plurality of uprights, cross bearers connecting said uprights, a front for said counter and com-- prisinga front frame having inturned beads, a rear frame having inturned beads, a glass panel arranged between said beads, fastening means extending through said frames for holding said glass in place, a plate having a notch therein fastened to said front, a leg extending upwardly from the bottom of said counter and engaging said notch, said front having a notch at its upper side engageable with one of said cross bearers and permitting restricted vertical movement of said front,

a locking angle fastened to said front, and

locking means engageable with said locking angle.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WALTER N. VANCE. 

